


Falling Action

by Cliotheproclaimer



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Light Angst, Talking, post 3x02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 11:10:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17344226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cliotheproclaimer/pseuds/Cliotheproclaimer
Summary: "Summoning all of her courage, Julie took the seat across from Hecate and looked her squarely in the eye.‘You have a choice. Either you can sit here and listen to me tell you all the ways you were a terrible manager today. Or, you can explain yourself. But one thing you cannot do is drive me out of this school. I gave up my job to come and teach here. I have rent to pay and a daughter to support, and this is important to me. I’m here to stay, so we had better make peace right here, right now.’ "Or, after the events of 3x02, Julie goes to find Hecate.





	Falling Action

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Worst Witch lovelies! This was written in literally three hours, so apologies for the necessarily poor quality - I'm sure at some point I'll get round to writing properly again, but for now I really enjoyed writing this. Hope you enjoy reading!

Julie Hubble pushed her inedible dinner around on her plate with a fork, until the sprouts stuck out of the mashed potato like boils. She was sure her neck was still red, her face still flushed from the force of Hecate Hardbroom’s smirk, of the laughter of the girls as she walked past the staff table and into a spare classroom. She didn’t dare spare a glance for Mildred – one look at her disappointed face would turn the lump in her throat into tears, and if there was one thing Julie Hubble didn’t do, it was cry.

“Mind if I join you?”

Without waiting for a reply, Dimity Drill deposited herself next to Julie with a _thump_ and began attacking her plate with gusto.

‘Food’s not as bad as it looks.’ Dimity commented, while Julie looked away and hastily blinked away anything that might have been welling in her eye. ‘But we’ve got a stash of snacks in the staffroom for whenever Tattie produces something really poisonous.’ Julie turned around and met Dimity’s frank, kind gaze.

‘Tattie?’ Dimity grinned at her.

‘Tatiana Tapioca, the woman who served you dinner. Grew up the other side of the iron curtain, and you can taste it in her cooking. Amazing woman – but say a word against her food and she’ll take it to her grave. Not the friendliest.’

‘Not like there’s a high bar here.’ Julie muttered. Dimity gave her a sympathetic look.

‘HB’s giving you a hard time.’ Julie stabbed a Brussel sprout angrily.

‘Not just a hard time – banishing me to the kitchens because I’m not good enough to sit at the teacher’s table. Making me look like an idiot in front of the kids – she’s mean, and rude, and I feel sorry for any child being taught by the intolerant old cow.’

Julie clapped a hand to her mouth, looking up fearfully at Dimity. ‘Sorry. That was awful of me.’

But Dimity only looked concerned.

‘No, it wasn’t.’ She said, heavily. ‘And Hecate shouldn’t be treating you like that. She’s not…she’s not usually that bad. She used to be alright – sort of tough, but fair. Hecate was my mentor when I first started here too, and she was strict, and I hated her at times, but she came through for me more than once. I try to remember that now that she’s…different.’ Julie snorted.

‘Seems like she was born with that stick up her arse.’ She said, darkly. ‘If it was any longer you could stick her in the ground and call her a scarecrow.’

Dimity unfortunately had just taken a huge gulp of pondwater, which she proceeded to spit out in laughter, spraying the table. Just the sight of her made Julie giggle, and soon the two of them were chortling together like sixth-formers.

‘Oh it’s good to have you here, Julie.’ Dimity chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye. ‘Everyone’s been miserable since the big freeze.’ Her face grew serious once more. ‘Look, I’m not saying you don’t have every right to be absolutely furious at Hecate. You could even bring it up with Ada if she’s really making your life a misery. But the Hecate I know wouldn’t do anything out of pure nastiness. So…’

‘So…’ Julie pressed, jabbing her fork in Dimity’s general direction. ‘Spit it out.’ Dimity grimaced.

‘Maybe talk to her? I don’t know, might make the whole thing a lot worse – but then again, it can’t get _that_ much worse. And the Hecate Hardbroom I used to know would respect it.’

* * *

 

Which was how Julie Hubble found herself pacing the corridor outside Hecate Hardbroom’s office, each minute that her courage failed her leaving her more and more angry. By the time ten minutes had passed and she still hadn’t mustered the will to bang on the Deputy Head’s study door, she was practically hopping with rage.

‘Bloody sour-faced old crone.’ Julie muttered. ‘Who the hell does she think she is? I’ll give her a piece of my mind – I will, I’ll do it right now.’

But just as Julie raised her hand and it seemed that she actually might go through with it, she stopped short. Behind the door, previously inaudible voices had been raised, and even on her side the anger in their tones was unmistakable.

‘Oh yes, I know you’ve been dying to say: ‘I told you so.’ Go on Hecate, tell me once again how foolish I was to hire Marigold Mould, and how I should have listened to you from the start.’

Julie’s mouth fell open in astonishment. The voice could only belong to Ada Cackle, but Julie had never heard the serene Headmistress sound so agitated. And when Hecate replied – why, Julie barely recognized her voice without its characteristic drawl.

‘You taking this all so personally is the reason we have never had a productive conversation about the events of last year.’

Julie forgot all decorum as she pressed her ear close to the door. Who would have thought that Hecate Hardbroom could sound so – _emotional_. ‘And now you’ve hired that wretched Hubble woman – the first non-magical woman to teach at Cackle’s, a woman with no teaching qualifications whatsoever - without even having the courtesy to consult me properly. And you expect me to mentor her.’

‘I expect you to be respectful. You were abominable to her all of today, especially at dinner.’

‘Yes, as you were very quick to point out. And yet it’s better than pretending that everything’s wonderful and harmonious, and belittling anyone who says otherwise. As you did today – as you did all of last year when I tried again and again to tell you about Miss Mould.’

By this point their voices were so loud that Julie was surprised there weren’t students running to see what the matter was.

‘So it’s my fault, then?’

‘Ada that is not what I’m saying. You are behaving like a child.’

‘Well if I’m such a child, if you dislike it here so much – then you’re welcome to hand in your notice and leave.’

Julie winced as the words cracked through the air like a bolt of thunder. Dead silence filled the air, and Julie was convinced she heard a shaky inhale of breath. Then Ada’s voice, filled with horror at her own words.

‘Oh Hecate I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it – Hecate, you must know I didn’t mean it.’

More silence. Then Hecate’s voice again, quiet and definitely shaking.

‘Please leave.’

‘Hecate…’

‘Leave.’ Then nothing, and then the sound of footsteps drawing closer.

Julie’s eyes widened, and she barely had time to flatten herself against the wall before Ada flung the door open. Luckily, the open door concealed her as her employer hurried down the corridor, seemingly blinded by tears.

Julie bit her lip. She could give Hecate Hardbroom a piece of her mind the next day – probably with another catalogue of offences to add to her list. But the shock of Miss Cackle’s last words was still ringing in her ears. Even Hecate Hardbroom shouldn’t be alone after a row like that.

Assuming that if she knocked she’d be turned away, Julie extracted herself from behind the door and took tentative steps into the room. 

* * *

 

 Hecate Hardbroom had her back to the doorway, standing so still that only her quiet sniffs indicated to Julie that she was anything other than a marble statue.

‘The door was open.’ Hecate gave an enormous start, turning around to glare at Julie so fast that she was amazed the woman didn’t give herself whiplash. When she spoke, she was evidently too surprised to affect her usual tone.

‘How dare you enter my study.’ Hecate said, tremulously. ‘Leave this instant.’ Julie was about to retort rather unpleasantly – until she noticed Hecate Hardbroom’s pale face and wet eyes. So instead, she stepped a little closer.

‘I couldn’t help but overhear a bit.’ She said, almost apologetically. Hecate closed her eyes.

‘Perfect. As if it wasn’t enough for you to root at this school like bindweed, now you seek to involve yourself in my personal life.’

‘You weren’t exactly being quiet about it.’ Julie pointed out. Hecate opened her mouth to reply, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, her mouth snapped shut like a trap, and she went to sit behind her desk, not meeting Julie’s eye.

‘I’m assuming you came here to confront me about what I said at supper. If so, I have nothing to say and nothing to apologise for, so you might as well leave.’ It was a thinly veiled plea, and for a brief moment Julie considered taking pity on Hecate Hardbroom and taking her leave. But curiosity overcame her.

‘No.’

Hecate finally raised her head and looked across at Julie in disbelief.

‘I’m sorry?’

Summoning all of her courage, Julie took the seat across from Hecate and looked her squarely in the eye.

‘You have a choice. Either you can sit here and listen to me tell you all the ways you were a terrible manager today. Or, you can explain yourself. But one thing you cannot do is drive me out of this school. I gave up my job to come and teach here. I have rent to pay and a daughter to support, and this is important to me. I’m here to stay, so we had better make peace right here, right now.’

Julie hadn’t realised before she had spoken how intent she was on staying. But looking at Hecate’s face, she thought she must have said something along the right lines. Still, Hecate’s mouth twisted in a thin line.

‘I could leave.’ She pointed out. Julie shrugged.

‘You could. And if you’re happy for a plain old _ordinary_ woman to drive the so-called "greatest witch of her generation" out of her study then be my guest.’

For a moment, Julie thought that Hecate looked a little impressed.

‘I see you did your research.’ She said, grudgingly. Julie rolled her eyes.

‘No need to sound so surprised. I may be ordinary, but I’m not stupid.’ Hecate at least had the good grace to blush.

‘I never…I would never assume that you were.’ The other woman muttered, staring fixedly at a point on her desk. Julie sat back in her chair.

‘So, what is your problem with me then? Why do you hate me so much?’ Hecate’s back straightened, and she regarded Julie Hubble haughtily once more.

‘I don’t…’ Hecate trailed off, as if she had caught herself in something she had said before. ‘I don’t hate you. But Cackle’s Academy is no place for an Ordinary woman.’ Julie took a deep breath and swallowed back the angry retort.

‘Yes.’ She said instead, tightly. ‘You’ve said. But why? There’s nothing magical about art. I’m not any less of a teacher because I can’t make paintbrushes do all the work for me – in fact I’d say I’m a better one for it. Why can’t a teacher here be ordinary?’

‘Because!’ Hecate got to her feet. ‘Because these are girls here who will be more powerful than you after their very first week at school. How can you possibly hope to maintain discipline when the girls know that the simplest spell could leave you powerless to stop them doing anything they liked.’

‘They’re still just children, Hecate.’ Julie argued. ‘And besides, I got by all right today when Miss Hallow got up to her usual tricks.’

‘You were lucky.’ Hecate fired back. ‘Ethel was stupid enough to get caught in her own trap. The whole event could have been a great deal worse. But of course, I wouldn’t expect you to care. In fact, you would join the rest of the teachers at this school in not caring one whit for the safety of the girls or teachers.’

With that Hecate turned away again, and Julie could see her discreetly trying to wipe away tears.

All of a sudden, something clicked for Julie.

‘Mildred did say something last year.’ She said slowly. ‘About…a personality changing potion. And a love potion.’

Hecate didn’t say anything, didn’t turn around. But her shoulders hunched, and her head bowed a little. Emboldened, Julie continued.

‘And no one faced any consequences for that, did they? Well – Mildred faced a few, I chewed her ear off when she told me what happened. But Miss Cackle didn’t seem to do a thing.’

‘Ada did her best.’ Hecate seemed to be making an attempt at defensiveness, but it came across as rather weak given that she still had her back to Julie and seemed to be stifling tears with a black handkerchief.

‘Didn’t sound like it to me. Doing her best would have been making sure girls understood that they can’t drug their teachers – that no behaviour can excuse _poisoning_ anyone. It seems to me that these girls are growing up to think that any problem they come across in life can be solved by snapping their fingers or mixing a potion. Maybe it would be better if these girls learnt that not every problem created by magic can be undone – that their actions have _consequences_.’

Hecate was silent. But Julie felt that she had her attention.

 ‘And this art teacher, Miss Mould – it sounds like she was allowed to teach young, impressionable children without anyone bothering to check whether she was in that wicked witch group thingy. But _you_ bothered to check, didn’t you? You tried to tell Miss Cackle.’

‘She didn’t have her references.’ Hecate murmured, almost as if speaking to herself. ‘I tried to warn Ada, but she wanted so badly to have a perfect Halloween. And then the school froze, and by the time I got out.’ She shivered, involuntarily. ‘I caught her trying to kidnap Mildred and the Hallow girls. If Ada and the girls hadn’t transferred me out of the potions lab, she would have spirited them away, and I would have been powerless to do anything.’

‘And then Miss Cackle hired me.’ Julie let out an ‘oh’ of understanding, the pieces finally joining together in her head. ‘Without references, without teaching experience – without consulting you.’

‘Yes.’ Hecate said shortly. She turned around and met Julie’s gaze properly for the first time since she had arrived.

Julie let out a puff of breath.

‘Right.’ She stood up, crossing the room to stand opposite Hecate. ‘I think what I should do is provide some references. My colleagues at the hospital can vouch for my good character and my experience working with children. I was relieved not to bother with the whole application malarkey, but now I think it would have been better to make everything official.’

‘Ms Hubble, that is really not necessary…’ Hecate began to protest, but Julie held up a hand.

‘No, it really is. If I’m to make a success of working at this school I need you to trust me, and this will help.’

Hecate bowed her head.

‘That is…well…that would be adequate, I suppose.’ For the first time in their meeting, Julie broke into a smile.

‘Fabby. I’ll get them to you by the end of next week.’ Hecate closed her eyes, discreetly brushing away the last remnants of tears.

‘Why?’ She asked simply. ‘Why indulge me when I have been nothing but discourteous and unkind?’

Julie’s expression softened a little. She hadn’t realized before how close in age the two of them were before – in her defence, the woman was a walking gargoyle – but suddenly saw in her expression some of the insecurity she herself had been feeling earlier in the day.

‘Because.’ She said, gently. ‘I was there, when the founding stone was reignited.’

‘When I did nothing.’ Hecate muttered. Julie shook her head.

‘I saw you reaching across for Mildred. You were going to take her place.’ Hecate’s brow creased.

‘I wouldn’t have got there in time. It was Miss Mould who saved her.’

‘But you tried.’ Julie pressed. ‘You tried, and I thought about it later, and how much it would have meant for you to give up your magic, and yet you were going to do that for my daughter. And in the hall later that evening, the way you looked at her - you’ll have to be a lot meaner to me than you were today for me to forget all that in a hurry.’

At the stunned look Hecate gave her in reply, Julie Hubble decided it was time to take her leave.

‘Well, that was very productive. First mentoring session a success, I think – this time next week for the next one?’

Hecate gaped like a fish, her mouth opening and closing at its own volition. But finally it snapped shut, and she nodded.

‘Good night, Ms. Hubble.’ She murmured. Julie nodded and made for the door.

‘Ms. Hubble.’

Julie stopped at the sound of Hecate Hardbroom’s voice, and turned around once more. The Potions Mistress seemed to be struggling with herself, before finally she said in slightly strangled tones.

‘My apologies if I was somewhat…standoffish, before.’ Julie grinned.

‘That’s all right Miss H.’ She said, pleasantly. ‘There are worse things you can be in this world than standoffish.’

Julie had almost closed the door before she added, almost as an afterthought,

‘Or Ordinary, for that matter.’


End file.
